Farmer mocks Ed Miliband’s ‘grudge against the bacon sandwich’ as Energy Secretary backs new eco food targets

A farmer has revealed Ed Miliband’s “grudge against the bacon sandwich” after the Energy Secretary backed ambitious new targets that would restrict the consumption of meat and dairy.

Speaking to GB News, James Wright was joined by a gaggle of piglets as he slammed the plans as “virtue signalling for the sake of it”.

The Energy Secretary has lent his support to the legally binding targets adopted on the recommendation of the Climate Change Committee.

As part of the ambitious plan, Britons could be compelled to consume 25 per cent less meat and 20 per cent less dairy.

“The government's come out with another plan to make it harder to farm and easier to import food from around the world that's produced at lower standards,” Mr Wright began.

“So it's difficult to be happy, but we try.

“I appreciate the fact that Ed Miliband's probably got a bit of a grudge against the bacon sandwich."

He was referencing the infamously unflattering photo of the then Labour leader eating the snack during the 2014 local election campaign.

“We in the UK have some of the best grass-growing climates in the world. We can produce crops here better than anybody.

“What we should be doing is investing and supporting our farmers to produce food to high standards and, because we're efficient, it will lower carbon and be cheaper for the consumer.

“It doesn't make any sense. It's just virtue signalling for the sake of it,” Mr Wright slammed.

When asked what he would do if Mr Miliband visited his farm, the farmer said he would invite the Energy Secretary to “come and sit in this pen of piglets who are doing their very best to nibble my waterproof trousers and put holes in them”.

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“We know the British public wants to buy British food; help us do that.

“Give us the long-term faith and security to be able to make those decisions, to invest, to improve our productive capacity so we can produce more food for the public.

“That's the most important thing,” he stressed, adding: “Farmers need backing.”

A government spokesman said it was “categorically untrue that this is government policy”.

“We value the Climate Change Committee's independent advice, but that does not mean we have to replicate their pathway.

“We are clear that we will hit our targets without telling people how to live and behave.”

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